Susan & Robert Wislow
Susan & Robert Wislow is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In its 2025 filing, it reported 21 grants totaling $247,044 to charitable organizations.
Susan & Robert Wislow at a glance
In short: Susan & Robert Wislow gave $247K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Illinois. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $247,044
- -6.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,764
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $17,244
- +10.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (7 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Susan & Robert Wislow
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 20 North Michigan Avenue 400, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 456-7000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Susan & Robert Wislow funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Chicago Public Library Foundation ($49K). Together the top 10 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 113 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 10% to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Susan & Robert Wislow open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 21 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $156K (2021) to $465K (2020). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $247K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Library Foundation Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $48,500 |
| Goodman Theatre Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $36,750 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $25,500 |
| North Central College Naperville, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $25,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $25,000 |
| Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $17,000 |
| American Writers Museum Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $12,000 |
| Depaul College Prep Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| Millennium Park Foundation Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| Wbez Chicago, IL | General Unrestricted Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Susan & Robert Wislow?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,244 | $256,403 | $254,703 | $247,044 | 21 | $247,044 | $558 | $1,876 |
| 2024 | $15,544 | $251,681 | $270,075 | $262,874 | 23 | $262,874 | $901 | $1,722 |
| 2023 | $33,938 | $251,052 | $234,076 | $227,600 | 20 | $227,600 | $272 | $2,083 |
| 2022 | $16,962 | $300,011 | $428,044 | $420,450 | 23 | $421,450 | — | $4,569 |
| 2021 | $144,995 | $304,529 | $161,492 | $156,450 | 26 | $156,450 | — | $3,438 |
| 2020 | $1,958 | $407,843 | $470,389 | $464,697 | 33 | — | — | $5,249 |
| 2019 | $64,504 | $400,271 | $453,938 | $447,469 | 49 | — | $121 | $3,667 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Susan & Robert Wislow reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include cultural, educational, library, and community organizations. The Chicago Public Library Foundation describes its work as connecting private investment with innovative, community-responsive library programming and lifelong learning. North Central College says it prepares students to become curious, engaged, ethical, and purposeful citizens and leaders. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association describes its mission as enriching, inspiring, and transforming lives through music, community engagement, and education.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in areas including support for Millennium Park, early-childhood professional education and advocacy (Erikson Institute), health care, education and research (Rush University Medical Center), and learning and civic engagement through Chicago history (Chicago Historical Society).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $247,044. Grants ranged from $250 to $48,500, with a median grant of $8,000. The largest awards included $48,500 to the Chicago Public Library Foundation, $36,750 to Goodman Theatre, $25,500 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation, $25,000 each to North Central College and the University of Michigan, and $17,000 to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The listed grants were for general unrestricted charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert Wislow as president and treasurer, Susan Wislow as vice president and secretary, and Sheri Zoeller as vice president.
Susan & Robert Wislow is led by Robert Wislow, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Wislow
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Susan Wislow
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sheri Zoeller
Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Don Johnson (2019–2020) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Susan & Robert Wislow
How much does Susan & Robert Wislow give each year?
Susan & Robert Wislow gave $247K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $263K across 23 grants.
What is Susan & Robert Wislow's typical grant size?
Susan & Robert Wislow's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $11,764, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Susan & Robert Wislow that year got $6K on average.
Where does Susan & Robert Wislow give grants?
Susan & Robert Wislow gives mostly in Illinois: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Michigan (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (19 grants).
Does Susan & Robert Wislow give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Susan & Robert Wislow's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Susan & Robert Wislow's largest grantees?
Susan & Robert Wislow's largest 2025 grantees include Chicago Public Library Foundation ($48,500), Goodman Theatre ($36,750) and Northwestern Memorial Foundation ($25,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Susan & Robert Wislow?
Susan & Robert Wislow reported $17K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $247K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Susan & Robert Wislow fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include cultural, educational, library, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Susan & Robert Wislow?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Susan & Robert Wislow's EIN?
Susan & Robert Wislow's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3496206. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Susan & Robert Wislow accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 8, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Susan & Robert Wislow funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/susan-and-robert-wislow-morg_d251d40679c64226ba3743cf0c89e98a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363496206_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Susan \& Robert Wislow funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/susan-and-robert-wislow-morg_d251d40679c64226ba3743cf0c89e98a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Susan & Robert Wislow's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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